


The Pack Makes the Alpha

by iCheat



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Assassination, But he's not a bad guy, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Everyone's got trauma, Human Alpha Stiles Stilinski, M/M, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Pre-Slash, Steter Secret Santa, hints at Nogitsune
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-23 21:43:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17088278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iCheat/pseuds/iCheat
Summary: The Alpha pack are gone but they've left behind an abundance of Alpha's and no solid pack in Beacon Hills. Peter is the first Beta to align himself. Of course he chose the fifth option.





	The Pack Makes the Alpha

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lostwithoutmyanchor (mysourwolf)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysourwolf/gifts).



> Happy Secret Santa! lostwithoutmyanchor hope you enjoy it and that you don't mind that I'll probably continue it later. Have a goo holiday!

Stiles had felt a bit off kilter since the whole ice-bath business. It was just the dreams. Mostly. Mostly it was just the dreams. They had bigger things to deal with than a few bad dreams. They had to cover up the blood bath left by the Alpha pack and the Darach, they had three traumatised Betas, including one they’d thought was dead, and Stiles’ dad was still reeling from the reveal.

Not to mention Deucalion was still out there. Like Gerard, Scott had just let him go. This time though, Derek had let him, a bystander instead of another victim.

Which was why Stiles was sitting in a café with Peter Hale planning murder.

It was murder, Stiles couldn’t deny that, but it was hardly undeserved. He could understand the merit of second chances but he also believed they should be earned. Deucalion had done nothing to earn his. Stiles wasn’t sure they’d ever know the real extent of the lives he’s ruined.

Not that it mattered now. Stiles was already decided. They’d destroyed Deucalion’s Alpha back and, returned eyesight aside, no other pack would take him in with his past. He was an Alpha omega with every reason to have a grudge against Beacon Hills. Stiles wasn’t going to let a threat like that hang around.

Peter understood threat removal, but he also knew the right to pack vengeance. Stiles wasn’t going to argue about the guy’s motives. He understood the desire for vengeance. Deucalion had attacked Peter’s pack and, regardless of how they treated him, Stiles could see the way Peter clung to those pack bonds. That didn’t even account for Cora. Part of his original, destroyed pack, who he had thought long dead.

Stiles couldn’t feel the pack bonds like the wolves could, but he had seen the shock and pain when Peter had realised she was alive.

He didn’t have time to worry about that right now though.

“It’s a good plan,” Peter said, looking up from Stiles’ papers to focus on Stiles himself. “As long as he doesn’t pull a disappearing act I don’t see any reason it should work. Will you be coming?”

Stiles gave him an unimpressed look from where he was nervously chewing on his straw. Peter smirked in response. Either one of them could probably pull it off on their own with the right tools but they both knew neither of them would feel secure unless they saw it through themselves. Stiles carefully didn’t think about the need to watch each other’s backs.

Peter was on the fringe of Derek’s pack and, despite everything, Stiles wasn’t actually sure he was actually an official part of either Derek or Scott’s pack. Pack or not though, Stiles had been protecting these wolves since they’d entered his life and Peter’s loyalty was now a vicious, ragged thing that meant he wouldn’t let any of the people in his life risk their necks alone.

They just didn’t talk about it.

“Wonderful,” Peter said, standing up and gesturing for Stiles to lead the way to the door. “I’ll pick you up. Your jeep is a bit too recognisable.”

“Yeah, that’s probably fair,” Stiles agreed as he stepped outside. He didn’t comment on how Peter brushed by him, far closer than necessary. He was getting used to it and he’d admit he enjoyed the casual contact. He was turned away from Peter to head for his car when he spotted her. He nudged Peter who turned in time to see Cora turn and walk away from them.

“What’s that about?” Stiles asked when Peter winced.

“She’s been talking to Derek,” Peter said flatly. “As you’re aware I’m not his favourite person.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“Why would I? Nothing he told her is a lie.”

“Not the whole truth, though, is it?” Stiles asked. Peter gave him a sharp look and Stiles shrugged. “I’m heading home then.”

“Of course.”

* * *

“Stiles?”

“Cora?” Stiles said, turning around to find Cora standing behind him. Erica and Boyd were a little further away with an uncertain looking Isaac. “Been enjoying your first week back at school?”

“Yeah, loads of fun,” Cora said with a snort. “Uh, Boyd said you had pretty good grades and we’re all a bit behind so...”

“Did you guys want some help studying?” Stiles asked bemusedly. “From me?”

“Yeah well, we know you, and you seem to know what you’re doing,” Cora said irritably. “Will you help us?”

“Uh, well, I have some stuff to do at home,” Stiles said, rubbing the back of his head with a frown. “I could come over tomorrow? That might work better, since its Saturday, we can do a revision session and work out what needs more work.”

“Just like that?”

“Sure, why wouldn’t I?” Stiles asked blankly. “You guys have had a rough time. How come the others didn’t come over?”

“Erica said she hit you and that she and Boyd weren’t sure you’d want to see them because of Gerard? Isaac just said you two don’t get on,” Cora said with a shrug.

“Yeah, The Bite apparently causes a power high that leads to being a dick,” Stiles said with a roll of his eyes. “Besides if I held a grudge against everyone who hit me I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to.”

“Alright.”

“Alright, I have to go check on Scott before heading home,” Stiles said, smiling at Cora’s easy acceptance. Werewolves have a very different idea of violence. When you’re more durable you play rough. “Make sure Derek knows I’ll be coming over tomorrow.”

“Will do, thanks Stiles.”

“Don’t worry about it, any of you.”

* * *

“I heard you’re going to Derek’s for a study session tomorrow.” Peter watched Stiles assemble the rifle from the ground.

“Congratulations.” Stiles didn’t even glance at him, focused on his task. Then he paused, his hands stuttering slightly before he rubbed at his head.

“Feeling well?” Peter frowned even as Stiles went right back to the rifle.

“Well enough to react if you go off plan.”

“Really Stiles, I’m enquiring about your well-being, must we have threats?”

“It’s worked so far,” Stiles said, glancing at Peter with a smirk. Peter returned it easily before he raised an eyebrow.

“ _Are_ you unwell?”

“Of course not.” Stiles rolled his eyes before he paused again, his hand moved to his head before he caught Peter’s eye and scowled, lowering his hand back to the gun. “If something’s wrong I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“I would appreciate it.”

“I’m sure you would, go be bait.”

“Bossy,” Peter said with a wink. He heard Stiles snort before he stepped out of the warded ring Stiles had placed around his tree. The ring hid all signs of Stiles’ presence and prevented anyone unaware of it from accidentally entering it. It was a masterful bit of magic.

Peter hummed quietly as he wandered through the woods, ears pricked for any sound. He’d readily admit he wasn’t exactly eager for the role of live bait, it had never been an activity he enjoyed. He did enjoy having a proper pack hierarchy though, and needs must.

Besides it _was_ a good plan.

“I’ll admit, I’m surprised.”

“Deucalion,” Peter greeted, turning to face the Alpha with a smile.

“Peter.” Deucalion prowled around him, confident in his control of the situation. “Somehow I don’t think you’ve called me out to ask about joining my pack.”

“Hmm, submit to an Alpha who’s already shown a history of killing his Betas? Somehow that’s not high on my to-do list.”

“So you either want an alliance to kill one of the Beacon Hill Alpha’s, or you think you can kill me.”

“I suppose those could be things I was thinking.”

“Must you always speak in circles Hale?” Deucalion finally stopped in place and rolled his eyes. “You can’t really think you stand a chance against me?”

“Have you truly forgotten so much of pack life?” Peter asked, just a hint condescendingly, as he adjusted his own position to get Deucalion to move just that bit more. “We both know I was never meant to be Alpha.”

“As I recall that didn’t stop you.”

“Oh I could be, certainly, but that was never meant to be my place.”

“Nor was it Derek’s. Are you going to submit to your nephew then?”

“Not likely,” Peter said with a snort, his loose smile curling into a grin. “I found a much better candidate.”

“Who-”

Peter didn’t even flinch as the bullet shot through Deucalion’s skull and his body dropped to the floor. Most things couldn’t survive being shot through the brain.

Stiles was certainly right about it being cleaner. Which, of course left Peter with the dirty work while Stiles packed up his kit. Peter loved a good investment. If all it took to handle threat removal was organising some weaponry Peter was going to have an even easier time than he’d had before the fire.

It was nice to have help.

Also, it was nice that Deucalion had no one looking for him.

* * *

“Hey Stiles,” Erica greeted, unusually subdued.

“Hey Catwoman,” Stiles replied easily as he walked in. “Ok, I brought a whole range of study tools because I have no idea what works for you guys, and some of my old notes for the time I know you were absent. Except Cora. Were you like, in school while you were elsewhere or what?”

“In and out of school, enough to get into your year without a problem.” Cora raised an eyebrow as Erica, Boyd and Isaac just made way for the hurricane that was Stiles.

“Honestly I figured you’d just get any paper work you needed forged,” Stiles answered absently. “So, get your books and get down here. I know a whole collection of study techniques so I’m sure we can find one that works for each of you.”

Stiles, as it turned out, was like some sort of extremely adaptable taskmaster. The first thing he did was have them all go over what they were doing in their classes, making notes on anything they weren’t sure about. Then he got onto how to help each of them study, making sure they took breaks and found what worked for them.

He had M&Ms that he put in certain places when they were reading to they could eat them when they reached it. He’d also make them give him a summary of what they’d read to see if they’d actually been reading it. Not only had he brought flashcards but also blank card’s so they could make their own. Most of his mnemonics didn’t make much sense to the rest of them but it gave them a laugh. His own study strategy seemed to just involve a lot of highlighters.

Derek drifted through a few times but didn’t comment. Stiles greeted him and threw one of his sour lollies at him when he only grunted in response. Cora watches as, despite what the other Betas had told her, Stiles walked each of them through their problems. He didn’t seem to have any problems with them, he was even scenting them. She’d told them it couldn’t be that bad.

If they’d seriously upset Stiles they’d feel it in the pack bonds. Maybe they felt it differently because they were bitten? Or maybe she felt them differently because of the fire? She’d had trouble forming them afterwards. Quietly she looked at Derek again. Derek who just scowled and almost never engaged in scenting despite being the Alpha and when he did it was usually rough and harsh rather than familiar and casual. With a frown her eyes moved to Peter.

Peter who had always been sarcastic and a bit caustic but who had always, _always_ prioritised the pack. Peter who watched them all without interacting. If this was before the fire he’d be sitting on the couch, nudging at them and making snarky but helpful comments. Of course, if this was before the fire he wouldn’t put up with Derek’s rough handling either. Not just because Derek was his nephew but because that wasn’t how an Alpha was supposed to treat his pack.

Was Peter pack? Derek had told her about Laura but…

It just didn’t have the same impact on her. For years she’d believed Laura had died in the fire and she’d had no way of knowing otherwise. She hadn’t felt it when she was killed. She had been so shaken and confused after the fire all her pack bonds gone leaving pain in their wake. Laura had been her sister, yes, but she hadn’t been her Alpha or her pack and when everyone who mattered to you was pack…

Maybe she should hate Peter like Derek seemed to but honestly she’d gone somewhat feral after the fire. In that state she would have probably attacked a strange wolf as well. She was sad about losing her sister, but she’d lost Laura years ago along with the rest of her family.

“Hey Derek, get pizza,” Stiles said suddenly, leaning on Boyd to look at Derek.

“Why.”

“Because it’s lunch time,” Stiles said with a roll of his eyes. “At lunch time we eat food. So unless you’re gonna make lunch, pizza.”

“You don’t tell me what to do.” The growl in Derek’s voice made Cora look towards him in surprise. Isaac seemed to shrink in on himself and Erica and Boyd both pointed avoided looking.

“Please buy us pizza?” Stiles asked with a raised eyebrow. Derek took a step closer to them and Stiles stood up and moved towards Derek. Cora tensed, watching the scene with wide eyes. In her periphery she could see Peter shifting his stance.

“ _You_ are not in charge.”

“I don’t _want_ to be in charge. I _want_ to make sure everyone gets something to eat,” Stiles said blandly.

“Why should I care about what _you_ want?” Derek snarled, getting far closer than necessary. Peter crouched just slightly, prepared to leap.

“You should _care_ about feeding your pack and interacting with them in a way that isn’t threatening or violent. We’re all people before being your Betas.”

“You aren’t my Beta,” Derek said with a sneer.

“And aren’t we all glad for it.” Stiles rolled his eyes again, not backing down an inch despite Derek’s intentionally threatening stance. “Peter?”

“Yes Stiles?” Peter replied smoothly, though neither Derek nor Stiles looked at him and he didn’t move out of his fight ready position.

“Would you buy pizza?”

Derek suddenly stopped, looking surprised and uncertain. He took a step back and Stiles relaxed his stance. Cora didn’t realise how riled she was until she did the same. The other three let out small breaths but still didn’t seem fully comfortable.

“Certainly, what does everyone want?” Peter asked, straitening up as though nothing had happened and pulling his phone from his pocket.

“Well, whatever Derek’s favourite is, we’re not getting it,” Stiles said with a shrug. Derek snorted and turned away with a grumble. Stiles turned as well, giving Isaac a casual pat on the shoulder as he returned to the group. The last of the tension drained from the room and they all started telling Peter their pizza orders.

Cora looked towards her Uncle, and wondered.

* * *

“Uncle Peter?” Cora stood in the doorway, not quite entering Peter’s space. Derek had gone for a run and when she’d mentioned wanting to talk to Peter Isaac had put earbuds in to block out the conversation. She’d gone to thank him and he’d just said “plausible deniability” and grinned.

“Yes, niece?” Peter replied blandly. “You can come in, I’m not going to bite.”

“Thanks,” Cora said, coming in and sitting awkwardly opposite Peter. Peter put down the book he was reading to give her his attention. “What are you reading?”

“Just doing some catching up,” Peter said with a shrug. “I missed a few things.”

“Yeah I wanted to ask about that and…”

“Laura?”

“Derek told me about what happened.”

“I’m sure he did. I can answer any questions you have.”

“Could you feel them? The bond?”

“The pack bond?” Peter asked, looking surprised before his face went back to sombre. “No, after the fire I… I didn’t feel particularly much.”

“I didn’t feel them after,” Cora said, looking down at her hands. “I ran and I didn’t stop running until I lost the scent of smoke and then, I couldn’t go near people for… a long time. I’m not really sure how much time I lost, I didn’t interact with another person until New Mexico. When I heard there were Hale’s in Beacon Hills I… I _tried_. I tried so hard to find the bond and I just… couldn’t. It wasn’t there.”

“Mending a broken bond can be harder than forming new ones,” Peter said, tone comforting and non-judgemental. “Especially after having so many torn away so harshly. You suffered a serious trauma, it takes time to recover from something like that.”

“But I still don’t feel them,” Cora said desperately. “Not like I should. Not like before. Their weak and I, I don’t know how to fix it.”

“This isn’t the pack you had before,” Peter said gently and, if Cora ignored all the pain and fear and horror of her memories, he was just Uncle Peter. Uncle Peter who offered advice and didn’t judge like the other adults. “The Hale pack was old, build on family bonds and full of born wolves. This pack is still forming. You can make all the Betas in the world and it won’t make a difference if the bonds don’t form.”

“So why haven’t they? Derek has Betas, he’s been training them. He’s…”

“He’s different. We all are, it’s unavoidable, but Derek… He was never meant to be an Alpha.  Do remember when Laura went through that really bossy phase?”

“Yes.” Cora had hated it, pretty much everyone had. Talia was their Alpha and Laura might have been next in line but until she actually rose to Alpha she didn’t have a right to _really_ order them around. On top of that it had always been stupid things and Cora didn’t want to listen to her older sister. She remembered the fights Laura and Talia got into, any tension between them made every other pack member in the room tense.

“Remember how she got over it?”

“Mom took her out and had a talk.” They’d gone out of hearing range. Laura had returned smelling like such a confused mix of emotions and shut herself in her room for days. When she’d finally come out she’d apologised and formally submitted to Talia. Cora still had no idea what had happened.

“Some born wolves are natural Alphas. In a stable pack, there’s usually just one and they become the next Alpha, allowing for a smooth transition.”

“Laura.”

“Yes, but there’s still the high probability of conflict between the Alpha personalities. When Laura’s Alphahood started coming through and Talia realised it wasn’t settling and was causing tension in the pack. As our Alpha she couldn’t allow that, it was bad for the pack. So she took Laura away from the pack and gave her an ultimatum. She could either submit to the Hale Alpha or leave Hale territory.”

“But mum…”

“Talia loved you all, don’t doubt that, but she had to consider the whole pack. Sometimes she had to make tough choices.”

“Would she have actually made Laura leave?”

“If she was endangered the pack, but the flipside is, even if Laura’s Alpha powers had manifested on their own, she would have a place in Talia’s pack. There’s a difference between _an_ alpha and _the_ Alpha, or else the Alpha pack wouldn’t have survived long enough to form.”

“So Derek’s an alpha but he’s not my-” Cora sucked in a sharp breath as the realisation struck. Derek was an alpha an alpha and she recognised his power but her bond with him was not one that recognised him as her Alpha. Peter just gave a small nod as though he understood exactly when she wasn’t saying.

“Right now there are four Alpha wolves in Beacon Hills, and five Betas. Isaac, Erica and Boyd are bound to Derek because he turned them, you’re bound to Derek because he’s your brother, as he’s my nephew, and I turned Scott so there’s… something.”

“But I don’t, I don’t have an Alpha bond,” Cora said, swallowing hard on the fear that welled in her. A wolf without an Alpha bond could only last so long before they went feral. She couldn’t do that again. She couldn’t’.

“Don’t you?” Peter asked with a raised eyebrow. “You’ve been without an Alpha before. Do you feel like that?”

“No,” Cora said slowly. She didn’t. Not like before. She felt wrong footed and unsure but not feral.

“We’re currently forming a pack, not a formed one,” Peter said, watching her now as he had when waiting for someone to catch his train of thought. “In the end each wolf chooses their Alpha, regardless of who turned them, or whose family. An Alpha can force obedience but not loyalty.”

“So it’s a choice?” Cora asked, thinking about all the Alpha’s in town. She hardly knew Scott, except that he’d let Deucalion though and he put Derek on edge. The twins had been part of the pack that held her captive and Derek… “What if I don’t want to choose?”

“With an Alpha, a real Alpha, not just an Alpha wolf, there’s not pack,” Peter said with a shrug. “All the Alpha wolves will fight amongst themselves until they’ve been submitted to or there’s no one left to fight.”

Cora looked down at her hands with a frown. That was pretty bleak and she still didn’t think she wanted to submit to any of the Alphas in town. She couldn’t imagine Peter wanted to either.

“You’re not concerned,” Cora said suddenly, eyes snapping to her uncle. Peter wasn’t the type to blindly follow orders, but he had always been pack orientated. She hadn’t seen his stint as Alpha but she’d known his unwavering loyalty to Talia, to his Alpha. It had been part of his anchor.

“I’m not,” Peter agreed.

“Why not?”

Peter hummed thoughtfully and began drumming his fingers in an uncharacteristic sign of agitation.

“The Alpha power is… intoxicating. To suddenly have all that power, to be in charge. It’s a power trip, not unlike being turned, from what I’ve heard.”

_The Bite apparently causes a power high that leads to being a dick._

“So Derek’s like a new wolf with Alpha powers?” Cora asked, desperately trying to follow Peter’s reasoning. Why did he have to lead conversations like this?

“Sort of. The three he turned have settled now, you’ll notice, because new wolves need _time_. An Alpha needs _pack_.”

“So Derek’s going to be this new dickish version until he gets a pack?”

“Possibly. He was never meant to be an Alpha. To lead and have others submit to him. All those urges are coming from his Alpha power.”

“Ok, just, to summarise. Four Alphas, five Betas, no real pack. Derek’s a dick because he’s an Alpha but not the Alpha. The other three… obey him, because he’s like their default Alpha but they’re not truly loyal to him like a pack should be because he’s not meant to be an Alpha?”

“You saw him yesterday, and their reactions. Is that an Alpha you’d follow willingly?”

Cora bit her lip. Part of her wanted to say yes. Derek was her brother and she loved him but… She’d seen the way the other three cowered, like they were prepared for pain from his anger. She’d angered her mum all the time and never feared pain, punishment yes, but not violence. Talia would have never hurt anyone in the pack. She was there to protect and car for them. As they did for her in turn.

Peter had been so ready to leap into that fight yesterday if it became violent. He’s only backed down when Stiles…

“Do you have an Alpha bond?” Cora asked suddenly, looking up to catch Peter’s eyes.

“I haven’t formally submitted,” Peter answered neutrally.

“But that’s not necessary,” Cora said as the realisation fully sunk in.

“No, but given our situation it would certainly help.”

“You don’t mind?”

“For someone who can care for my pack like a proper Alpha? No, I don’t mind.”

“And the fact he’s human?”

“Humans are perfectly capable of being part of a pack. Not usually as Alphas, perhaps, but no pack that forms from this will be normal.”

“You really think Stiles can be our Alpha.”

“I couldn’t say,” Peter said with a raised eyebrow. “He is my Alpha, as long as he’ll have me, but you have to decide for yourself if he has the qualities you think an Alpha should have.”

Cora paused again, mind whirling. Yes they’d had humans in their pack and all pack members were equal, werewolf or human. If Peter thought a human could be an Alpha she’d take his word.

So did she think Stiles could be _her_ Alpha?

She thought about how he’d helped rescue them from the Alpha pack, at risk to himself. He’d also been immediately willing to help them, holding no grudge against the other three despite their obvious fear he would. He did what he could to help them without asking for anything in return and despite every disadvantage he’d gotten up and put himself in between then and the potential threat that was Derek.

Provide, protect and care for.

“Yeah, I think he does,” Cora said with a dawning realisation. She actually felt part of her settle as the bond started forming.

Peter grinned.

“Welcome to the pack.”


End file.
